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Mechanical performance of cylindrical and dual core pedicle screws in calf and human vertebrae

  • Trauma Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Failure of pedicle screws by loosening and back out remains a significant clinical problem. Pedicle screw fixation is determined by bone mineral density, pedicle morphology and screw design. The objective of this study was to compare the holding strength of newly developed dual core pedicle screws having a cylindrical design in terms of outer diameter and two cylindrical inner core regions connected by a conical transition with conventional cylindrical pedicle screws.

Materials and methods

Fifty bovine lumbar vertebrae and 40 human lumbar vertebrae were used. Five different screws were tested in nine experimental “settings” and ten specimens each. The screws were tested for cranial displacement and pullout strength before and after 5,000 cycles of cranio-caudal loading. The tests included a setting with fully inserted and 4 mm backed out screws. For statistical analysis the incomplete balanced block design was used.

Results

Cyclic loading led to a decrease of pullout force between 24 and 31% and a 9% increase of displacement. The cylindrical screw designs were affected more than the dual core designs. The pullout force of cylindrical screws was smaller than of dual core screws. Even in a backed out condition dual core screws showed a significantly smaller displacement than cylindrical screws.

Conclusion

Pedicle screws with the dual core design provide good anchorage in the vertebra.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof D. Sasse (Institute of Anatomy, University of Basel) for providing the human spine specimens, Stratec Medical, Oberdorf, for providing the pedicle screws, D. Wahl for assistance during testing and D. Pfluger for performing the statistical analysis. The experiments comply with the current laws of Switzerland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse, 7270, Davos, Switzerland

    C. A. Lill, E. Schneider, J. Goldhahn & A. Haslemann

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Schlierbacher Landstrasse 200a, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany

    F. Zeifang

  3. Orthopaedie Bavariapark, Ganghofer Strasse 31, 80339, Munich, Germany

    C. A. Lill

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  1. C. A. Lill
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  2. E. Schneider
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  3. J. Goldhahn
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  4. A. Haslemann
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Correspondence to C. A. Lill.

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Lill, C.A., Schneider, E., Goldhahn, J. et al. Mechanical performance of cylindrical and dual core pedicle screws in calf and human vertebrae. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 126, 686–694 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0186-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0186-6

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